Everton V West Brom Barclays Premier League Match 24 -August 2013. Everton's Sylvain Distin is doubtful after suffering a knock at Norwich, while fellow defender Antolin Alcaraz remains out with a hamstring injury.Darron Gibson and Tony Hibbert will be assessed but they are unlikely to displace Ross Barkley and Seamus Coleman, who both scored last weekend.Watch Everton V West Brom Live, Watch Everton V West Brom Live Stream, Watch Everton V West Brom Free Live Stream, Watch Everton V West Brom Online, Watch Everton V West Brom Online Free, Everton V West Brom Live, Everton V West Brom live stream Online.
West Brom could give a debut to Manchester City loanee Scott Sinclair.
However, Nicolas Anelka is absent on compassionate leave while Steven Reid is ruled out by injury.
MATCH PREVIEW
After a week of unwanted distractions for both clubs, they'll be happy to get down to on-field business at Goodison, where West Brom have won just once in 14 league visits since 1979.
First impressions last, making Roberto Martinez's home debut as Everton boss an occasion that demands his full attention. Little wonder, then, that the affable Spaniard has seemed irritated by Manchester United's "derisory and insulting" bid for Leighton Baines and Marouane Fellaini.
LAWRO'S PREDICTION
Image of Mark Lawrenson Mark Lawrenson Football analyst
"The Baggies are a good side and my thinking is that they are going to be safe and they are going to be comfortable but if they do get beaten at Goodison Park, they will have played two, lost two."
Read Lawro's full prediction and score
However, the defiant way in which the club quickly rebuffed United will have pleased Everton supporters, and the fact that David Moyes has tried to raid his old club so early will only increase the support for Martinez.
He's keen for Evertonians to understand that implementing his style of play will take time, yet the early signs in the 2-2 draw at Norwich were that they already 'get it'.
A possession statistic of 67% (as calculated by Opta) was the highest in the opening round of Premier League matches, with a successful passing rate of 88% bettered only by Manchester City.
For Albion and Steve Clarke, an opening-day defeat to a late "soft decision" penalty was bad enough, but to then lose Nicolas Anelka so soon after signing him is a nightmare.
After scoring seven pre-season goals, the veteran Frenchman had looked the perfect short-term solution to replacing Romelu Lukaku. Now it might be that Clarke will have to do some more transfer business to replace Anelka. He might have been particularly useful for this game, having scored against Everton for all five of his previous Premier League clubs.
The blow has been softened by the loan signing of Scott Sinclair, who'll be itching to get going having not started a game for Manchester City since last December.
No Everton boss has lost his first home game in charge since Ian Buchan's Toffees were beaten by Blackpool in 1956. No pressure Roberto.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
Everton are chasing a fourth consecutive home win against West Brom in league and cup.
The Baggies have won only one league match at Goodison Park in 34 years - a 4-1 victory in November 2010.
Everton
The Toffees' pass completion rate against Norwich was 88% - they averaged 79% in the Premier League last season.
Everton lost only one home league game last season - their lowest tally since winning the title in 1986-87. They also suffered one home defeat in cup competitions - coincidentally against Roberto Martinez's Wigan in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup in March.
They ended the campaign by winning six successive Premier League matches at Goodison Park.
West Bromwich Albion
The Baggies have won just one of their last 10 league games, drawing three and losing six.
They have failed to keep a clean sheet in their previous five games - conceding a total of 14 goals.
Last season Romelu Lukaku scored 17 league goals whilst on loan from Chelsea. Without those goals the Baggies would have ended the season 10 points worse off, in 17th place.